In The Flesh
by thatwritersdream
Summary: "I'm so sorry." Amu cried as she pulled the trigger, Ikuto catching her as fell into sobs. "Amu, it's better this way." Ikuto soothed softly. "Ami can find peace now." A virus worldwide has begun to spread, even in Seiyo. Now Amu and the others form one large group on survivors, fighting against the Infected and trying to find a cure. Trying not to let one other die.
1. Chapter 1

**Yet another new story idea, one I haven't seen for Shugo Chara so I thought I'd give it a try. Welcome to the land of the living dead.**

In the Flesh

"_The dead should stay dead."_

Chapter One: Virus

It all started with a noise coming from the kitchen that had awaked Amu Hinamori. At the time Amu hadn't taken much consideration into getting up and checking what the noise actually was. Being half asleep also didn't seem to help, but what shortly fallowed after was a loud crash of glass that had Amu up in her bed immediately. Pulling her bed covers off herself, Amu placed her feet on the freezing floor. Cautiously she opened her door that lead into the hallway, just as a scream and yelling irrupted from down stairs.

"Tsumugu!" Amu heard her mother scream, a scream that sent shivers down the pinkette's spin. She didn't hesitate to run down the stairs, only to freeze in her spot horrified. There in the kitchen were stains of crimson, Tsumugu on the floor with Midori holding a towel to his neck. Besides them was the neighbor, Anna, a young adult- about twenty five maybe, not much older than Amu herself. Anna's head was bashed in, skull was broken and the murder weapon laid besides her father who was whispering something to her mother.

"I love you, Midori. _Please_ let me go." Tsumugu whispered so lowly that Amu had to strain to understand. What was going on? Amu didn't understand, but only watched as her mother picked up something that laid besides her. Amu felt as if this was a nightmare because Midori placed the end of the barrel of her father's revolver to Tsumugu's forehead.

"I love you too, Tsumugu-koi." Midori whispered through her tears, closing her eyes as she pulled the trigger. A yelp escaped Amu's lips, causing Midori to whip her head around to look at her eldest daughter, who had no doubt witness everything.

"Are you crazy?" Amu asked, just above a broken whisper. She was shaking in fear as Midori stood up, clothing soaked in Tsumugu's blood. Her mother snapped, that was it. Amu tried to rationalize every possible reason, but no made sense. Why had Midori killed Tsumugu? Or why hadn't he fought back?

"Amu-Chan, please listen to me- I can't explain right now but you need to go get Ami, while I grab food. We need to leave." Midori begged for her daughter to understand, to listen just this once, but of course Amu wouldn't. Not when she witnessed a murder.

"Why? So the police won't catch you? Mama- you just shot Papa in the head. What reason do you have?" Amu interrogated, golden eyes cold towards her mother.

Midori sighed, "No Amu, that isn't it at all. You see Anna there?" Midori pointed a finger to the dead blond. "She was infected by a virus, and she bit your father. Your father didn't want to become that Amu, so I did him a favor."

Amu eyes widen, no longer doubting that her mother had lost her sanity. Infected by a virus through a bit, shooting Tsumugu in the head. Her mother believed in zombies where real, that Anna had been a flesh eating monster. They weren't real, nor would they ever be real. Not to Amu's logical mindscape, but here her mother was all stained in blood holding a gun and claiming so.

"You killed them Mama." Amu said cautiously, as if Midori was a dangerous stranger.

"Amu, I want you to quietly look out the window, and tell me what you see. "Midori says, moving aside for Amu to walk.

Amu walked quickly to the widow, careful to not step in the pool of blood on the floor. Which she didn't successfully do since blood was all over and so she still turned her white sock red. Amu noticed Midori on high alert and watching the window while Amu peaked out. Amu felt as if she could faint. People were yelling on the street, running and honking car horns, causing these other people-_ things, _to fallow growling. On the street men and woman were being torn apart by children digging their nails into them and violently pulling their organs out. It was a frenzy that left Amu feeling nausea.

"You're serious…" Amu whispered with disbelief. Never once had she believed in zombies or vampires or werewolves- all fictional character. So were the shugo chara's, but Amu believed in them, hell she had four of them until they went back into the eggs cradle along with the others. Now here zombies were.

"Go get your sister Amu. We need to leave soon." Midori says gently.

Amu shook her head, "Aren't we safer here?"

"No Amu-chan. We are sitting ducks." Midori said seriously, going into the kitchen. Amu took that as her cue to go upstairs to get Ami. Distantly she heard the vibration of her phone, and quickly she went into her room to see that it was a group phone call. Quickly she answered.

"This isn't the time to talk." Amu says, rushing to Ami's room.

"_Amu! Thank god you answered!" _That was Utau, who was currently with Ikuto.

"_We were worried, you hadn't answered." _Rima lightly sobbed. "_I'm with Nagihiko, he came and got me after an attack on his house- my parents are gone."_

"_Rima, please suck it up. This is not the time."_ Utau snapped through the speakers.

"That's a little insensitive Utau." Amu said, grabbing a bag and shoving Ami's clothing into it with her favorite stuff animal.

"_Tadase, who's with you?" _Utau ignored Amu.

"_Kukai and Yaya." _Tadase answered.

Utau got straight to the point, _"Okay, listen closely. In twenty minutes my jet will be taking off. Kairi, Nikaidou and Yukari are already here. Now you all have to get here in those twenty minutes so we can leave town and plan what we are going to do."_

"Sounds like a plan." Amu rushed. "I have to go."

Amu hung up, picking Ami up from her bed. The thirteen year old was surprisingly light. Quickly Amu went back to her room, laying Ami into her bed before Amu packed a bag of her own clothing. Then picking Ami up again, Amu carried her down stairs.

"Amu, go put Ami and the bags in the car." Midori says, leading her eldest daughter into the garage. The car was already un locked, which made it easy for Amu to toss Ami into a seat.

"Hey! Watch it!" Ami hissed, opening her eyes.

"Shut up." Amu whispered.

"What's going on?" Ami asked, watching as her mother put the bags in the seat next to her. The poor girl was ignored.

"Amu, come here." Midori motioned for Amu to step aside with her.

Amu listened to her mother, but a dreadful feeling was building up in her stomach. She just had this feeling that whatever her mother was going to tell her wasn't going to be good news. Everything was surreal, in this very moment it felt as if Amu was the one that had gone crazy. It was difficult to wrap her mind around, but who could blame Amu? It wasn't every day you saw a zombie in real life, only in movies.

"I need you to take your sister and go." Midori flipped the handle of the gun towards Amu. "Protect Ami, Amu-Chan. Do what me and your father failed to do."

Amu's eyes widen, "Mama, you're not coming?"

In that moment, Amu's heart sank like the Titanic when hitting the ice burg. Midori wasn't going with her children; she had something she had to do. Something that if her daughters found out, Midori would be hated. So Midori kept her mouth shut, shaking her head and watched as her eldest daughter's eyes grew fearful.

"Mama, you have to come!" Amu begged frantically. "Utau can take us to safety on her jet-"

"I can't go Amu." Midori interject, reaching for the keys in her pocket. "Use that gun, more bullets are in that bag. Aim for the head, that's how to kill the damn things."

"Mama how do you know this?" Amu questioned as Midori pushed Amu into the driver's seat.

Midori smiled warmly, tears pooling in her eyes. "Because Amu, I'm to blame. I'm going to stay here and find a cure…. I love you both greatly." Midori looks at Ami. "Listen to your sister Ami, and Amu- be safe."

With that Midori shut the driver's door, running to the garage door leading into the house. Amu started the engine, signaling for Midori to open the garage door. Within that second, the infected spiraled into the garage, bagging on their door causing Ami to scream. With one last look, Midori shut the house door, and Amu pressed the gas pedal, car in reverse and swerved out onto the street.

"Amu, what's going on?" Ami cried out. "Where is Mama?"

Amu sighed, she didn't know how to explain any of this to Ami, but right now she also couldn't be focused on Ami's questions, but on the road. Amu ran over anything in the street, dead or dying, she didn't care. Right now Amu had to get Ami to safety and that was with Utau and the others. Amu's mind though did keep going back to her mother's words. _Because Amu, I'm to blame. I'm going to stay here and find a cure. _Had Midori know about this before? No, Amu couldn't believe that, but it would explain the arguments with her parents, the ones were they yelled about how it wasn't safe.

"Ami, I need you to calm down okay? Take deep breaths." Amu instructed, turning a sharp corner. She looked through the rear view mirror, seeing that she was being chased by a crowd. Gripping the stirring wheel, Amu pressed the gas pedal harder, speeding past things in a blur.

"You're going to fast!" Ami shrieked.

"Ami! Do you want to die like Papa?" Amu eyes widen as she said that, instantly regretting those words coming out of her lips.

"Papa is dead?" Ami whimpered.

Sighing Amu nodded sadly, "See those things chasing us? Papa got bitten by one. He wasn't safe Ami- he wasn't going to be Papa anymore."

Ami let out a soft cry when she looked out the review window. To her, being the child at heart she was, they were monsters, things in nightmares. Where all of this was slapping Amu in the face, coming to that this was the reality of things right now and at any given moment- Amu could lose Ami or herself.

"Ami, we are going to be safe. I promise I won't let anything happen to you." Amu swore, turning the wheel. The car spun out, Ami screaming and Amu shouting. Then nothing as the car hit the lamp post.

From the roof tops, Kukai stopped jumping while Tadase and Yaya kept going. That scream was familiar, so was the car that was bent around the pole. A flash of pink hair caught his attention. _No. _Kukai mentally whispered, seeing the infected approach the car. Then a loud bang, and an infected was down, and Amu Hinamori crawled out of the broken glass window.

"Ami, grab the bags quickly!" Amu coughed, holding the gun and shooting the infected. Kukai had to admit that Amu had aim, but this was not the time to be thinking about that.

"Amu-chan!" Kukai called, gaining Amu's attention. Which was a bad idea because it messed with Amu's focusing. So he rushed what he was going to say. "The fire escape! Climb up it!"

Amu, glanced at Ami to see if she had the bags. She did. With that Amu shot a few more shots before grabbing Ami and racing towards the fire escape. Quickly she pushed Ami to go first, shooting as the infected chased after them, and when Ami was safety onto the first fire escape and climbing the second Amu went up. Then a hand wrapped around Amu's ankle.

"Fuck." Amu muttered, pulling to free her leg. "Let go!" Amu shouted, pulling the gun and aiming it right at the head of the damn thing, only to freeze. "Tsukasa?" Amu whispered, watching the chairman growl at her. Her finger was shaky on the trigger, and she remembered what her mother said, _You're Papa wouldn't want this life. _Amu was willing to beat Tsukasa didn't want this life either.

"I'm sorry." Amu whispered, pulling the trigger and watched as his lifeless body fell into the crowd below. Regaining her state of mind, Amu climbed up after Ami, reaching the rooftop after five floorings. From there Kukai pushed the latter down, nothing else was coming up here.

"Come on, Tadase and Yaya are up ahead." Kukai said, jumping to the next roof top. Ami and Amu fallowing in pursuit. It was one thing to shoot people that you didn't know that turned that shooting someone who guided you in school. Guilt was in Amu's head, even if she knew it wasn't her fault.

"You look good with a gun Amu, sexy." Kukai winked, getting an eye roll from the pinkette.

"Not in front of my sister Kukai." Amu joked, seeing that Kukai was trying to act like nothing was going on.

Within a few minutes Amu, Ami and Kukai reached Yaya and Tadase, who had sight on the jet that Utau stood in front of with Ikuto, Nagihiko, Rima and the others. Tadase was the first to notice Amu and Ami, and he looked worse that Amu. Tadase eyes held a haunted look, red stained his clothing and his skin and he wore a frown. His warm ruby eyes were a bit distant and cold.

"Amu-Chan, I'm glad to see your alive and well with Ami." Tadase greeted, about to ask where her parents where when it hit him. They were gone.

"Yeah, but Amu nearly killed us with her driving." Ami cracked a smile, one that was broken.

"Shut up twerp." Amu sighed, pointing to the jet that was surrounded by a fence that the infected where piling up on. "How do we get it?"

Kukai grinned at Amu, "We have to zip line."

"What?" Amu was expecting him to say it was a joke.

"Zip line." Yaya said, not sounding happy. She lost her cheerfulness. "This was the spot that zip liners practiced. From this rooftop down into the runway, which was abandoned by plains a few years back."

"Yaya, how do you even know that?" Amu asked, surprised the girl knew more than her candy.

"I pay attention in history." Yaya bluntly said, grabbing a harness.

"There is enough for four of us." Kukai stated the problem, leaving it silent. "I can hold someone- Ami?"

"No." Amu disagreed. "No you might drop her, so you're taking me."

Kukai grinned at how protective Amu was of her sister and put his harness on and hooking it onto the line. Yaya and Tadase had already took off, and Amu was quickly helping Ami- watching as her sister sailed down, right over the infected and into the runway.

"Come on miss big sister." Kukai said, holding Amu by the waist as they kicked off the rooftop and sailed down the line into the runway. There landing wasn't grateful. It ended up with Amu being tossed to the side when Kukai found it difficult to stop and him crashing into the floor.

"Should of hung onto Hinamori- I'd landed on something than the floor." Kukai moaned in pain.

Amu groaned, rolling over to glare at Kukai. "Geez, thanks. Remind me again never to go zip lining with you."

"Amu!" Ikuto called out, relief spreading to him as he saw the pinkette there on the ground. Human and alive. Bleeding, bruised, and scratched sure, but alive.

"Ikuto!" Amu smiled weakly as he helped her up.

"Don't I get help?" Kukai whined.

"No!" Amu snapped. "You dropped me."

"At least it wasn't in the pit of zombies!" Kukai retorted, getting up. "Besides, that was a crash landing."

Ikuto sighed, "Well at least your safe, that's all that matters. Ami and Tadase and Yaya are inside the jet already, come on."

The three made their way into the jet where the old Guardians, Nikaidou, Yukari and Ami sat. Utau was in the pilot space, checking on things when she suddenly rushed out. A panicked look on the blond pig tailed singer's face.

"What's wrong Utau?" Kukai asked his girlfriend worriedly.

"The jet isn't starting up!" Utau cried out.

Ikuto sat straight up, "Kairi, couldn't you tell me how to fix it?"

"I could but there's no time." Kairi said, glancing out the window to see that the infected were gaining in numbers.

"Then we all are going to die or we make time!" Ikuto snapped, grabbing the green haired male.

"Let go of him!" Yukari shouted in defense for her brother.

Amu eyes widen as she watched with Utau as the fence holding the Infected broke. Quickly, Utau rushed to seal the door, but a hand grabbed her arm. Tadase pulled Utau away from the control room.

"What the hell do you think you are doing Tadase!?" Utau snapped with a shout.

"It's simple Utau, we aren't getting anywhere without this plain being fixed." Tadase nodded at Ikuto. "Amu, grab your gun. Ikuto, we have your back- just hurry and fix the problem."

**Author's Note**

**I feel like this chapter was crappy, but I just couldn't get it right now matter how much I tried because I had a difficult time starting it, but I know what the plot line is! How did you readers like this? **


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you for the review! So I have some news, this story I will need some OC's for later chapters. I can't guarantee they will survive but these OC's I'd like of you readers to create. Basically creating your own character for this story. There will be more information on this at the end of the chapter, so please read the Author's Note once you reach it.**

**In The Flesh**

_Please, tell me why_

_My time has stopped_

_I cannot comprehend this unknown pain_

_Piercing my chest_

_~ Cruel Clocks by Hatsune Miku_

Chapter Two: Bullets

"Kairi shine some damn light over here!" Ikuto yelled as gun shots went off all around him. Kairi hurriedly turned the flashlight on; shining it right under Ikuto needed it to see the fuel tank. Ikuto groaned and hit the metal of the jet hard enough to make the sound reverberate.

"What's wrong?" Kairi asked surprised at Ikuto's quickness of giving up.

"It's out of fuel Kairi- we won't be flying out of here tonight." Ikuto explains, pulling a hand gun from the waist of his jeans, aiming it at the Infected that begun to run across the runway, trying to help Amu take them down.

Amu couldn't focus, not with trying to aim and with Ami being useless and getting in the way. It was still irritating Amu that Ami still hadn't thought of the idea to grab some sort of weapon to protect herself with, so that left Amu constantly looking over her shoulder to check on her younger sister. The gun was heavy in her hands, but Amu seemed to be a natural at shooting it right at her target.

"Ami get a damn bat!" Utau yelled for Amu, letting curses out at the younger Hinamori about how stupid it was just standing there weaponless. Amu mentally thanked her friend.

"Amu-Chan, I don't like this one bit." Yaya says, standing beside Amu with a bat.

_Is she mentally smashing their heads?_ Amu asked herself, just then her gun stopped firing. _Shit_. Amu tossed her gun to Kairi. "Please reload it! Bullets are in that bag right there!" Amu called pointing to the bag just as the Infected came closer to her and Yaya.

Ikuto saw that Amu and Yaya were going to be in some serious trouble, but right before he could stop himself from pulling the trigger- Amu grabbed Yaya's bat, doing a 360 turn- colliding the bat right into the Infected skull. Just as his bullet hit her right in the shoulder, making Amu yell in pain.

"Amu!" Kukai yelled, as more Infected ran towards her and Yaya, but Yaya already had the bat- coping Amu's movements and swinging it at the skulls of the Infected.

"We can't stay here for much longer!" Rima yelled, using the bow and arrows she had left in the bag. She aimed, pulled the string back before releasing the arrow into the air.

"I know we can't!" Ikuto shouted back, reloading his gun before aiming it again. "Amu was accidently shot, she's injured! Plus we don't have much room to run!"

"And who's fault was that!?" Amu yelled angrily, clutching her shoulder and trying to ignore the pain as she looked at Kairi. "Kairi, where is that gun?"

Kairi turned the bag over to show Amu that the bag was empty. "You lost them all on that zip line ride!"

Amu cursed, blaming Kukai. So instead of relying on a gun, Amu grabbed another bat, using her other arm, the uninjured shoulder, and tried to help Yaya, but the infect kept coming and soon enough, Amu and Yaya were slowly getting surrounded. In the distance, both girls heard the rush of footsteps, the Kukai was batting away the Infect with Kairi and Nikaidou. That's when Amu heard it, one thing she was fearful of.

"_AMI!"_ Utau yelled, just as one of the infected lunged at Amu's younger sister.

Horrified, Amu froze, watching as the Infected went straight for her sister and not even seeing Yukari shove Ami out of the way. Yukari's scream echoed loudly as the infected tore into her arm, biting and yanking a good chunk of flesh out. Right then and there a van speed into the runway, the sliding door of the ice-cream-truck type of van opened, and there stood Tsukasa and Nobuko Saeki, both holding guns that should be illegal for citizens to even have.

They both aimed and fired at the Infected, their bullets completely random aim- almost hitting some of the previous Guardians. Soon enough, whatever left of the Infect were dead and Kairi was besides his sister who was going in and out of it, and Amu went to check Ami.

"Yukari-San." Kairi whispered with Nikaidou across from his holding her hand.

"Kairi.." She whispered weakly. "I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault." Kairi reassured. "Why did you save her?"

He knew it was selfish to ask why his older sister saved Amu's younger one, but this was his only family left. He couldn't lose her to, not so early on in this epidemic. Kairi would need her, as a sister, to be there for him to talk to. He didn't want to face this world by himself. No, not yet.

"She's young Kairi- she has more life than me and." Yukari coughed. "And she deserves to live it."

"You can't go yet." Kairi whispered as a tear slid down his cheek.

Yukari gave him a small smile, "I love you, and if you loved me- Don't let me become one of them."

"_No_." Both males deadpanned, shaking their heads, but it was Utau who noticed that Yukari had closed her eyes and stopped breath. It was also the singer who knew that neither males who fulfil her wishes, so Utau grabbed Ikuto's gun and went to her beloved manager, placing the barrel onto her forehead.

"_Thank you for everything, Yukari."_ Utau whispered, pulling the trigger.

"Are you crazy?!" Kairi yelled, getting up and shoving Utau out of anger. She didn't take it personally; she'd be the same way if she lost Ikuto.

Utau face was void of expression, "You were about to let her turn, I did her the favor she wanted before she woke up as one of _them_ and took a chunk out of you." Utau's voice was cool as she walked away from the grieving brother.

"Ami, are you okay? You aren't bitten?" Amu frantically asks, checking her sister for any visible injuries.

"I'm better than you." Ami says and points to Amu's injured shoulder. "I wasn't the one who was shot."

"I wasn't the one who almost got bitten either." Amu retorted, doing a double check, hissing in pain when she moved her shoulder.

"Kairi's sister saved me." Ami whispers. "It's my fault she's dead, because I wasn't paying attention to the side of me."

Amu's head whipped up so fast as she grabbed Ami's hands, her own shaking. She lost a lot of blood from that gunshot wound. "Don't you _ever _blame yourself Ami, okay? It wasn't your fault, and I owe my life to her for saving you-", Amu cut off as black spots danced around her vision, and she fell forward into Ami's lap, her eyes rolling to the back of her head.

"Amu?" Ami shook her shoulder, feeling a warm liquid on it. Bring her hand back; she realized it was blood, which Amu had been bleeding out for the past fifteen minutes from that bullet wound. "Help! Amu fainted!"

Ikuto was the first one there, checking Amu's pulse. It was stead, but slowing down. Panic infiltrated him. "Put pressure on her wound!" Ikuto yelled the demand at Ami as he ripped the sleeve of his shirt and pressed it onto her shoulder. Rima had come over to help, moving Ami's hands and applying pressure herself.

"Hurry, get in so we can leave!" Nobuko Saeki demanded loudly, getting everyone's attention.

"We can't move Amu! She's lost to much blood!" Rima snapped, applying more pressure, but Kukai came over- moving both Rima and Ami aside to swiftly pick Amu up, despite the fact that blood smeared onto his shirt.

"_What are you doing Kukai-san!?"_ Ami screeched, worry flooding into her when Amu let out a groan.

"We have to get in the van before more Infected come Ami! Now get your ass up and into the van!" Kukai snapped impatiently, gently laying Amu in the back of the van as Tsukasa hopped into the passenger side of the car with Kairi and Nikaidou getting into the back- silently grieving over the loss of Yukari.

Ikuto was by Amu, watching as Rima continued to apply pressure and as the van got full, Utau sliding the door shut. Tsukasa shoved over a first aid kit as Nobuko started the car. In the distance, the Infected could be heard making their animalistic sounds, but none of that mattered as the sound was drowned out as the van lurched forward with a _vroom, _so fast that the unfastened people in the back of the van lurched backward. When Nobuko took a sharp turn, the road got bumpy. She was running over the Infect manically laughing and Amu's body jerk right- her head colliding right into Ikuto's knee. Poor pinkette was just having a bad day.

"In that first aid kit there should be a small roll of thread and a thin needle. You can stitch Amu's wound with that." Tsukasa instructed.

Utau sweat dropped, "We actually can't, one- Nobuko's driving is moving the car too much. Two, you can stitch a bullet would with the bullet still lodged into the shoulder!"

"We can at least apply some alcohol onto it." Rima mutters, getting a cotton ball and the bottle of alcohol that was found in pharmacies. Carefully saturating the cotton back, Rima dabbed it onto Amu's wounded shoulder, and her eyes jerked open from the pain and a scream escaped her lips. Instinctively the pinkette swung her arms, confused about what was going on.

"Amu! Calm down!" Rima cried out when Amu's fist connected with her cheek.

Ikuto was the first to react, grabbing Amu's arms and pinning them down, forcing her to look at him. Her honey eyes were wild with adrenaline, but as soon as his blue were in her line of sight all of her muscles visibly relaxed. Her breathing became more even as she looked around the van.

"Where are we going?" She whispered her voice cracking.

"Not sure." Nagihiko answers, glancing towards Tsukasa's seat. "Tsukasa, where exactly are we headed to?"

"Somewhere safe." Was all he replied, which sent a wave of uneasiness down Ikuto's spine.

"That's not a reassuring answer, Tsukasa." Ikuto retorted.

Tsukasa looked back over at the blue haired male, "All the places you'd deem safe in this town are compromised by the Infect. The safest place we could be right now is in this, and until further notice we stay here."

Silence filled the car with Tsukasa's answer, leaving the young adults pondering at his answer. The only one who wasn't pondering was Amu, who had pain shooting through her shoulder with each turn Nobuko took, making Amu hiss in pain. Ikuto would cast her glances, and Amu would glare as if to say _this-was-your-fault- it should-of-been-you-asshole_, but that was just the pain talking. So Amu decided to distract herself.

"Nobuko, what happened to your RV?" Amu asked curiously, just staring up at the van's ceiling.

"It was overrun by the Infected. I was lucky enough to get out of that thing in time. Blew the damn thing up witch a match and gasoline before Tsukasa found me. That's when we found this van in the parking lot, and after making sure it was Infected free- we begun looking for survivors around town and that's when we heard your gun shots. Thus here we are." Nobuko explained, her eyes never leaving the road.

Amu didn't respond, instead she closed her eyes feeling tired. Her head was spinning, and now Ami had Amu's head in her lap, stroking the pink hair. Mostly everyone watched the two sisters, watched how Ami looked so worried that she was going to lose her sister. When Amu had fainted, Ami gotten so scared that Amu had stopped breathing and she was gone. It was as if time had suddenly stopped, and Ami's world shattered. To lose a sibling was just a horrible idea to think of, and Kairi lost his sister. Ami risked a glance up, looking at the green haired male that slouched against the van wall. His sister saved her life, now she owed Kairi everything she had.

Kairi just couldn't wrap his mind around why she did it. Sure Yukari saved Ami, a girl she didn't even know, and for that Yukari was truly selfless. There was a selfish part in Kairi though that believed Ami should have been the one bitten instead of his sister. After it was Ami's fault that she wasn't paying attention, but yet the girl was just fourteen and seen her sister get shot. There was a part that was grateful Yukari saved Ami, she saved a life even if it coasted her own. For that, Kairi truly forgave all her sins in the past that were caused by Easter.

"We could go to a ranch." Kairi suggested suddenly, earning looks from the people around him.

"A ranch?" Ikuto questioned. "That has people- which means there is Infected there, so it's out of the question."

"We have nowhere to go." Yaya groaned, shaking her head.

Ikuto shook his head at Kairi's innocent stupidity. They had to go to a place people rarely went to, and for now there was no where he could think of. Mountains were out of the question, they needed a way to get food so they have to stay close to a town. Woods were a defiant no just because the reason was obvious; an Infected could just be lurking in the dark and could just attack. It would be bloodshed.

Nobuko took a sharp turn left, with jerked everyone to the right. Ikuto then decided enough was enough and picked a groaning Amu up and held her in his lap. Utau was holding Ami at her side, stroking the younger girls brown hair. Somehow, she'd fallen asleep through this entire ruckus and Nobuko's horrible driving. Kairi just was silent now with Nikaidou. Nagihiko held Rima as she curled up next to him, the two silently talking in whispers. Yaya just sat there, for once in a long time she said absolutely nothing to cheer anyone up, because there was nothing to say to make anything better.

It was silent in the van as the bumpy road turned smooth and the snarls stopped. They were going somewhere, and they only hope it could be somewhere safe. Maybe even on the way, they could meet other survivors, fighters and join together.

That was wishful thinking.

**Author's Note**

**I'm not sure, I think this chapter was a little slow but like- I don't want to rush this plot line, but it should be fast paced. I'll work on that in the next chapter, but I tried to put some twists in this. Ikuto shooting Amu by accident was my favorite, and I killed Yukari off, and I promise more character deaths with come. Did you know it's hard to kill them off? Like I tried thinking about which favorites will die and I was like **_**I'm dying when I kill them**_**. Haha.**

**So like up above, I mentioned that I need OC's. I will be accepting five for now of my decision, and then as we go on I will be asking for more. These OC's I want you readers to create, so it's kind of a reader and author interaction. Like I said, I can't guarantee your OC will survive but I can guarantee they become a major part of this story. I'll explain OC guild lines now, because you can have them close to the canon characters, even like **_**close close**_**, but no pairings. Parings will remain the same.**

**You readers can have OC's get close to any of the female or male canon characters. If no one knews what canon characters are, it's the main characters. So yes my lady readers, you can have an OC kissing Ikuto and cause friction in the Amuto relationship.**

**Here are the guild lines.**

**Name: **

**Age:**

**Looks like:**

**Personality:**

**Chara (if any):**

**Any Secrets:**

**Criminal or no:**

**Are they good at fighting :**

**Can they use a Weapon:**

**Background (history):**

**Any relations to canon (could be a past flame just don't make it to complicated please):**

**How are they reacting to the 'zombie' situation:**

**Have they lost anyone dear:**

**Like:**

**Dislikes:**

**ATTENTION DUE TO THE FACT THAT I HAVE BEEN '**_**WARNED' **_**PLEASE DO NOT SUMBIT AN OC IN THE REVIEWS. IF YOU NEED TO SUBMIT AN OC- PLEASE PW YOUR SUBMISSION.**

**Okay so these are all the requirements. Please, if you can or want to- submit a character! I think it will be fun and I'll tell you if your OC has been accepted and I will work with you from there! **


	3. Chapter 3

**I AM ALIVE!**

**I am so sorry about the long wait in an update (like a year), but that was because I totally forgot where I was going with this story and had huge writer block. I have now finally overcome that! I know where this plot is, and I know what OC's will be coming it!**

**Yes I am still using the OC's reader submitted over a year ago. As of now I will not be taking more OC's, but if you are interested please pm me and we can talk. Also, readers who had submitted OC's, if your OC is used in a chapter and introduced to the story line then I will pm you! If I don't pm you right away it is because I have planned a spot for each OC, and some will come later in the story.**

**Thank you all so much for being patient with me, and I hope you enjoy this chapter and the more to come!**

**Also, thank you for telling me about Tsukusa being dead and me accidently bringing him back to life. I meant to put Nikaidou, so I will have to go back and edit chapter two. **

―――

**In The Flesh**

**Chapter 3**

―――

_Four days._

_Ninety six hours._

_Twenty five minutes._

_Thirty six seconds._

That's how long they were in the van, Nikaidou driving now at a steady pace. Utau had managed to remove the bullet from Amu's shoulder when they made a quick pit stop three days ago, stitch and tending to the wound. Kairi was doing better with his grief now, finally dismissing any anger and blame he place onto Ami. It wasn't fair to blame the fourteen year old, and it defiantly wasn't easy on her either. The past four days Ami never left Amu's side, always holding onto Amu's hand as if Amu was about to disappear from the world.

Ikuto constantly worried for Amu, guilty for accidently shooting her, but he helped with gathering supplies when they made pit stops. Nagihiko stayed by Rima's side, brushing away the petite girl's fears, and reassuring her that she was going to make it through this. Kukai was just silent, along with Tadase and Yaya. Yaya hadn't even spoken a word since the attack four days ago, and Utau reassured that the girl was still in shock. They all were. It wasn't exactly easy to accept the fact that the world was infected with people who ate other people and a bite turned you into one of _them_.

Amu herself wasn't really processing everything, and that was mainly because the memory of her mother haunted her. Something had been wrong with Midori in those final moments, and Amu knew that. She knew her mother, she knew her mother didn't keep secrets but Amu saw the knowing and the regret in her mother's eyes. What the hell had been going on with her mother, Amu would never know- and that alone haunted Amu. Never truly knowing the reasoning behind her mother's words. All Midori had done was shove her eldest daughter into the car with supplies and Ami, directing to get away and to keep the two of them alive. Like hell Amu would let Amu die.

"Don't move yet Amu-chan." Ami whispered, watching her elder sister struggle to sit up. Instead of arguing, Amu waved her hand in dismissal.

"I'm fine Ami, just a little sore." Amu gave her sister a reassuring smile. "I can move more now, and besides, I need to get use to moving my arm again."

Ami sighed but nodded, "Are you feeling okay? Better than yesterday?"

"I'm fine Ami." Amu reassured, glancing a look at Ikuto. "We really need to work on your aim Ikuto."

Ikuto scowled, "My aim is just fine. It was you who turned into the bullet."

Amu chuckled with a roll of her eyes, "If you say so. Your aim is still pretty much nonexistent."

Kukai laughed, leaving it Amu to lighten up mood in the depressing van. Utau rolled her own eyes at the two's playful batter, but was happy nothing less that the two were now talking. Amu had been pretty pissed about being shot by Ikuto, and yelled at him the first chance she had. Utau was sure everyone's eyes were ringing.

"Nikaidou -san, where the hell are we going?" Amu asked, slowly shuffling to stand on her feet to look out the window.

They had been out of the city for three days, and were now in the country side of Seiyo- or at least right outside of Seiyo. There were no buildings in sight, just hills and grass and cars that were flipped occasionally. That sight wasn't exactly heartwarming to Amu. Besides that, it was pretty empty of life out here, but Amu was sure there were things lurking in these hills. After all, the hills have eyes.

"It's hard to say. I know there is a gas station along this way, and from there we will go where the road takes us." Nikaidou replied.

Amu frowned, "That plan is gonna get us all killed. We can't just drive with blind faith, that's how we are going to end up in a deadly predicament. We don't need any more casualties on our hands."

"The girl's right." Nobuko said, a frown also etched onto her lips. "We can no longer just drive, we need a plan."

"The most rational places would be a farm, a ranch- but then almost everyone with a brain would head over there. It would be a blood shed among people who fight for that safety." Amu huffed.

"You sure do know a lot." Kukai muttered.

Amu glanced back at him, "I watched a lot of horror films back in my home town. I was voted most likely to survive the zombie apocalypse."

"You're good with a gun." Yaya finally spoke.

Amu smiled ruefully, "Papa use to take me to the shooting ring back in my home town before Ami was born. Learned at young age how to hunt and survive."

"Come to think of it, you never really speak about your home town." Utau says, earning nods from all around her. Ami also glanced at Amu with curious eyes, not remember the town she was born in.

Amu chuckled and sat back down, leaning against the van's leather seats. "Well to start off, my home town is Daishōji, on the rural side. Mama and Papa lived with my grandparents at the time on the ranch, and I grew up learning to tend to that very ranch. Papa taught me how to hunt game in the woods around the ranch. I went to school in the urban area, which only had a population a six hundred- not very many people.

"Amu, how far is your home town from Seiyo exactly?" Nikaidou asks, driving a bit slower.

Amu shrugged, "It depends on where we are at now."

"Meda." Nikaidou replied.

"That's only two towns away from Daishōji actually." Amu said surprised. "Are you planning on going to the Hinamori ranch? I can give you directions once we get to Tasawa."

Kairi grumbled, "And who called my ranch idea stupid?"

Ikuto rolled his eyes, "It didn't seem rational at the time you brought it up."

"But when Amu brings it up, you're all for it." Kairi snapped.

"Will both of you just shut the hell up?" Utau hissed, glaring at the two fighting males.

"Before we head to Daishōji, we are going to be making a pit stop at a gas station. Everyone know the drill?" Noboku asks, earning a round of agreements.

―――

The world is such a strange place. We live and we die, but now we live, we die, and we come back to take others into death. The world was surely odd. Mio Sumieda knew this. She seen more of this world than most, and discovered the rare beauties and the dangerous things this world had to offer. The seventeen year old was naturally scared when the break out first happened in the town of Seiyo. Of course once she got out of her momentary shock, she grabbed the gun her father sent her when she first moved to Japan from Europe. She always carried it around, even if it was illegal to do so, it just made her feel like her father was with her.

Seiyo, that was Mio's destination to surprise an old friend, but then the next thing she knew was the epidemic broke out of the infected. Mio then lost contact with her parents and friends back in Europe, and she had to assume the worse. In her grief a man with dirty blonde hair and green eyes found her. His name was Cyrus West, an eighteen year old man, who came to her aid when she nearly was bitten. Apparently he was very good with a sword, even better with a gun- but that was Mio's specialty.

"Where exactly are we going Cyrus?" Mio asked the man walking besides her. He was quite, hardly spoken at all, but Mio couldn't blame him. He probably lost someone dear to him as well. When he didn't answer, Mio sighed and ran a hand through her long strands of ebony hair. Her long sleeved t-shirt was pushed up past her elbows as her blue-grey eyes were on high alert.

"Gas station less than half a mile up. We are getting ourselves supplies Mio." Cyrus briefly informed the younger girl, walking towards the distant outline of a gas station.

It wasn't difficult to break into the building, though Cyrus was distinctively careful about making sudden loud sounds. If there were actually any infected around, a loud crash would surely draw their attentions, and that was the last this he and Mio needed to deal with at the moment. Mio had easily set off, grabbed a bag and begun to ransack the gas station, grabbing candy bars, waters and other beverages. Cyrus was busy on scouting, making sure they were alone in the market, but a van suddenly screeched to a halt in front of a pump.

"Mio, we got company!" Cyrus barked, getting ready for a fight.

A man with blue hair was the first one out of the back of the van, helping a woman with pink hair down- who had her arm in a sling. A woman with blonde pig tails and a man with spikey brown hair were out next. Followed by a man with blonde hair and ruby eyes.

"They aren't enemies." Mio whispered. "They are other survivors."

"We trust no one Mio." Cyrus grunted. "Did you finish gathering the supplies yet?"

Mio nodded with a sigh, "Yeah let's get out of here."

A man with long midnight purple hair stepped out of the van, and that alone caught Mio's attention. She didn't have to see his face to know who he was; she'd recognize the hair anywhere in Europe, and in Japan.

"Nagihiko." The name fell from Mio's lips in a whisper, but Cyrus heard it nothing less. Sighing, Cyrus knew the girl wasn't about to leave after finding someone she knew, and he wasn't sure if he wanted to part ways with her and be alone just yet.

Ikuto was the first person to notice the other two people inside the gas station, and immediately he was on defense. Amu, feeling Ikuto's body muscles tense up, looked up at the gas station to see and blonde male and an ebony haired female looking back at them. The girl was staring behind Amu, at Nagihiko. A frown married Amu's face, especially when the man pointed a gun at Ikuto when he raised his weapons.

"Ikuto." Amu snapped. "You can't shoot them!"

"He's pointed his gun first." Ikuto grunted.

"Cyrus!" The girl cried, grabbing the man's arm. Amu watched as she forced the man to put the gun down, but his calculating look never left his face. He kept a good eye on them, and the same thing with Ikuto and Kukai- the two watched the man, Cyrus, with wary eyes.

"We come in peace!" The girl yelled, holding her hands up in surrender. "My name is Mio Sumieda and the man besides me is Cyrus West. He's not very good at socializing."

Amu nodded, forcing Ikuto to put his own weapon down, "My name is Amu Hinamori, the youngest is my sister Ami. This idiot next to me with the blue hair is Ikuto Tsukiyomi and his sister is the blonde with pig tails- Utau Hoshina."

"The singer?" Mio wondered aloud.

"Yes." Utau snapped. "Even I have to fight to survive."

Amu sweat dropped, "She's a little on edge. The man besides her is Kukai Soma is Tadase Hotori and the other man is-"

"Nagihiko Fujisaki." Mio said with a smile looking at Nagihiko.

"You know her Nagi?" Amu asked in surprise, looking back at her purple haired friend.

Nagihiko stared at Mio for a second before nodding, "We met while I was in Europe when I was younger. I was in the same dance class as her. Mio, what are you doing over here?"

Mio sighed, "I left Europe to learn dance over here. I was on my way to see you in Seiyo as a surprise when the Infection hit. Barely made it out because of Cyrus here. Without him I'd be dead a long time ago."

Nagihiko nodded, "I'm glad to see you're alive. Where are you both headed off too now?"

"East." Cyrus answered.

"We are headed towards Daishōji to take refugee." Nagihiko offered. "You both can join us if you'd like."

Ikuto and Kukai both turned to glare at Nagihiko fiercely. "You know you have to discuss inviting people on our trip. They are strangers! They could kill us in our sleep!"

Amu nodded in agreement, but she trusted Nagihiko's instincts. Plus they were also survivors, the more the merrier. "Let them come."

"Amu!" Ikuto yelled.

"We need to stick together. We can't leave them stranded at a gas station in the middle of nowhere!" Amu hissed.

"Thank you for the offer." Mio smiled and bowed. "We'll accept."

Amu nodded but Ikuto took command, "They get all you can carry and put it into the car and get your asses in."

Amu sighed, but continued to go into the gas station's store, behind the cash register and hitting the button for gas at the tank Nikaidou had parked at. Then yelled out, "Nikaidou you're good to go!"

With that Amu began helping the others grab supplies. Utau grabbed bags of chips, candy bars –basically anything she could grab. Amu was on First Aid, grabbing multiple first aid kits while Ikuto grabbed fluids. Nagihiko and Tadase helped with food and liquids, and Kukai also helped by grabbing clothing and toothbrushes- even gum and mints.

That's when a scream came.

"What the hell was that?" Kukai asked, looking at Mio and Cyrus.

"We checked the whole place. It was clear." Cyrus defended.

Out of know where the back door of the gas station swung open with a loud _bang_. In came running a girl, crying and asking for help. She looked around Ami's age, and it broke Amu's heart. The first thing everyone notice was how she fell to the ground, then began to convulse.

"Everyone out _now_!" Ikuto yelled, rushing everyone out of the door as the girl began to stand up and snarl.

"Fuck." Kukai mumbled, looking to the right as a group of infected began to swarm.

Amu was already with Utau at the car, tossing the supplies in and grabbing their own weapons. Just because she had a sling didn't mean Amu was completely useless. Together the girls shot at the Infected that got to close to their proximity, covering their friend's asses.

"Hurry up and get in the god damn van now!" Utau yelled, shooting an Infected in the head right between the eyes.

In a rush, Mio and Cyrus got into the van with Nagihiko and Tadase. Kukai swiftly grabbed Utau while Ikuto grabbed Amu, both jumping into the van with both females just as Nikaidou punched the gas. Barely leaving time for Kairi and Yaya to close the van doors as the female Infected from before jumped out at them.

"Now you see why we have people stay in the van Ami." Amu said, hissing in pain.

"You okay?" Tadase asked Amu.

Amu nodded, looking down at her arm. "It just really hurts."

"Let me see." Utau said.

"I'm okay." Amu argued.

Utau gave her a look that said she wasn't taking no for an answer, then moved close to Amu and helped the pinkette take off the sling. Red stained the white bandages around Amu's shoulder and Utau winced. That didn't feel good, so as carefully as she could Utau unwrapped Amu's bandages and was greeted with a horrible sight. The bullet wound was all swollen with puss. It was disgusting.

"She has an infection." Utau concluded. "I need the antibiotics and peroxide."

Ikuto rummaged through the first aid kits Amu had expertly grabbed. "We got a small bottle of penicillin, some cream type of shit, Neosporin and rubbing alcohol."

Utau motioned for Ikuto to pass her the kit before rummaging through it herself. "This penicillin isn't enough."

"Why does she need penicillin?" Yaya asked curiously.

Ami was besides Amu, holding her hand tightly. It worried her that her older sister was in so much pain and had an infection at a time like this.

"Penicillin is an antibody that fights off infections." Utau concluded. "This bottle doesn't have enough. We need to make a stop at a pharmacy if Amu is going to live."

"The closest town is Tasawa." Amu whispered.

Cyrus made a noise of protest, "It's over run by Infected. Going into that town is basically like a death with. Especially by car, you'll drawl too much attention."

"We don't have a choice!" Ikuto snapped. "She can't die!"

"We'll be better off letting her die than going on a suicide mission!" Cyrus argued back.

Kukai glared, "We let you come with us, so you'll have to deal with it man! If you don't like it then you and the girl can get off this van and go fuck yourself!"

"Fine, we will!" Cyrus grunted. "Mio."

"We're safer here." Mio whispered. "Please, let's help them."

Cyrus stared at Mio long and hard before grunting and slumping against the wall in defeat. Utau was proceeding her treatment, using the rubbing alcohol to clean her hands first before using a cotton ball and gently dabbed at Amu's bullet wound.

"Shit." Amu moaned, biting her lip.

"You'll be okay." Utau whispered. "Nikaidou, you heard that right."

Nikaidou nodded, "I'll drive a few miles away from Tasawa's town border. From there a group of us will have to enter town by foot and infiltrate the town. After they return we take the back roads to Daishōji."

"The group will be me, Kukai, and Nagihiko." Ikuto says.

"Why not me?" Utau asked.

"You need to nurse Amu." Ikuto replied.

"You don't even know what you're looking for." Utau argued as she applied antibiotic cream onto the wound. "Plus Rima or Kairi can care for Amu while I'm out."

"You can count me in your suicide mission." Cyrus offered.

Amu yelped and Utau yelled a sorry as she rebadged Amu's wound. "Then it's settled. Me, Ikuto, Kukai, Cyrus and Nagihiko will be going into Tasawa and locate a pharmacy. We are to grab penicillin and whatever other medications we can while we are there."

"We have a time limit of twenty four hours to do this." Ikuto added. "If we aren't back and you are found by Infected then you get the hell out of here and go too Daishōji yourselves."

Amu protested, "Maybe you shouldn't go-"

"We aren't about to let you die Amu!" Ikuto exclaimed, kneeling in front of her and grabbing her chin. "I'm not letting you die." 

Nikaidou put the car into park, "We have reached a few miles from the Tasawa's border."

"That was a short drive." Yaya said.

"Meda and Tasawa aren't that far apart. Time passes by faster when making a plan." Nikaidou explained.

"How much is a few miles?" Nagihiko asked.

"Six miles. Don't want to be too close nor too far." Nikaidou quipped.

"Ikuto." Amu whispered. "Don't shoot anyone else okay. Only Infected."

Ikuto rolled his eyes and kissed her gently, "I promise to come back."

"Are you two dating?" Ami whispered to her elder sister.

Amu smiled and shrugged, "I don't think so, not yet at least."

With that the group of five exited the van with weapons and bags with them, heading towards the infected town that was only six miles away.

―――

**I know I have taken forever to update this story, but here is chapter three! It was shorter than what I'd like but I know what I want to happen in this story so upcoming chapters should be a little longer.**

**Please leave me a review on your thoughts! I'll be happy to reach 34 reviews!**

**The OC's in this chapters are not mine:**

Mio Sumieda belongs to KokoKaga

Cyrus West belongs to Pika-Thunder

**Please leave a review**

**Also check out some of my other stories!**

**If you like Vampire Knight then go check out my Shugo Chara and Vampire Knight crossover: **_Crimson Hearts_


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